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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23385130">second chances</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/a_b028/pseuds/a_b028'>a_b028</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Witcher (TV), Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, F/M, Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia Has Feelings, M/M, Multi, Past Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Yennefer z Vengerbergu | Yennefer of Vengerberg, a lot of annoying animals, mentions of animal abuse, very tiny bit of smut like blink and thats it</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 15:13:01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,431</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23385130</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/a_b028/pseuds/a_b028</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Jaskier keeps bringing stray animals to their house, Geralt is not impressed.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>345</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>second chances</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>this is self indulgent and self indulgent only</p>
<p>i just really like the idea that jaskier brings random animals to the house and geralt is like jaskier no but also like jaskier yes<br/>also, geralt is a caretaker at the zoo bc of course he is</p>
<p>enjoy!!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The first time it occurs, they are six months into living together and a year into being an actual couple – not friends with benefits bullshit they had been on for years, but like a proper <em>couple</em> stuff. The latter took them long enough but <em>anyways, </em>they are six months into living together when Jaskier comes home much later than usual and brings, of all things, a dog.</p>
<p>It’s an awfully ugly dog, too – big, dirty, with its fur all wet and sticky and felted. Loud too, barking and whining every time Jaskier tries to soothe it enough to bring it over from his car to the house.</p>
<p>“What is this?” Geralt asks and rolls his eyes at Jaskier’s unimpressed glare, “I know it’s a dog, why are you bringing it here?”</p>
<p>Jaskier huffs, “Because <em>he,” </em>Then huffs again at the lack of cooperation from both the dog and Geralt, “was tied to a pole in a lone alley, completely scared and alone. I couldn’t just leave him alone.”</p>
<p>“Maybe <em>his</em> owner just left him and went to a shop and you stole him.”</p>
<p>“If this is how his owner kept him,” He gestures at the animal, who definitely doesn't look like a picture of proper healthy dog being, “Then it’s better for him to find a new, warm and loving home.”</p>
<p>Geralt pinches his nose and doesn’t ask where the new home would be in Jaskier’s opinion. His boyfriend manages to get the ugly thing out of the car, but the animal still doesn’t want to go to the house – whines and barks even louder now, attracting the attention of their neighbours and occasional strollers. The last thing they both need is someone filling in a notice about animal abuse.</p>
<p>Jaskier squats to get on the eye level with the dog, petting his head in a tender manner, “You work at the zoo,” he turns to Geralt, who is still keeping respective distance, “You should know what to do.”</p>
<p>“He doesn’t exactly look like a tiger or a bear,” he responds and takes a step back, knowing that the dog needs his space.</p>
<p>“The mechanism should still work,” Jaskier mutters, “Do we have something for him to eat? Some leftover meat or sausages or whatever dogs eat?”</p>
<p>Geralt nods, “Probably.”</p>
<p>“Then go get something,” the younger says and plops down next to the dog, who is looking more relaxed and less on edge, “Poor buddy is probably starving.”</p>
<p>He nods again and goes to the house – brings out their oldest, ugliest pot and puts some chopped sausages in. Then gets a second pot and fills it with water because the dog is not a cat and he is most likely thirsty.</p>
<p>When he gets back, Jaskier is still sitting next to the dog who visibly tenses at the look of Geralt. He hums – the dog most likely had an owner similar to him in appearance, who obviously didn’t treat him right. Geralt is not surprised since even people tend to be scared when they see him, judging him to be either a cop or a criminal.</p>
<p>He sets both pots down in front of the dog, who whines and eyes them with distrust. Jaskier gives him an encouraging stroke behind an ear and picks up a piece of sausage – then brings it in front of animal’s nose, who eats it gladly.</p>
<p>“<em>Ow</em>,” he scrunches his nose, clearly not expecting that. Geralt is kind of impressed that Jaskier managed to drag this dog here, knowing well that his boyfriend hates getting wet and dirty in nonsexual way.</p>
<p>Jaskier patiently feeds the dog and quietly mutters, “If he doesn’t want to take a bath, then a bath will come to him,” he says, “Find some container where we could wash him – I think Ciri’s childhood bathtub still should be somewhere in the attic.”</p>
<p>“I’m not bringing that over here for a dog to be bathed,” he grunts because c’mon, it’s his daughter pink, floral-patterned bathtub. One of the few things he kept – for no particular reason other than sentimentality – from her early childhood.</p>
<p>His boyfriend snorts, “I’m sure Ciri wouldn’t mind – she would encourage it, even,” he continues, “Imagine how happy she will be when she sees him, she always tells me how badly she want to have an animal but both you and Yennefer keep saying no. How <em>disappointing</em>. A child should have contact with animals from early stages of–“</p>
<p>“I know Jaskier, I have a <em>paper</em> that says that I know all of this,” he stops Jaskier’s chatter because when the younger starts he doesn’t stop, “And who decided we are keeping him?”</p>
<p>Jaskier gives him a look of total disbelief, “Of course we are keeping him.”</p>
<p>“We are not.”</p>
<p>Another look of total disbelief. Even the dog whines – as if he also disagrees with the fact that they won’t keep him, “We are,” Jaskier says, “I even have a name for him.”</p>
<p>Geralt grunts, “No, Jaskier. He can’t stay here,” he disagrees again, but deep down he knows that when his boyfriend is set on something he just <em>does</em> it.</p>
<p>“Why?” Jaskier challenges and his voice betrays that he already knows that he won the argument. He strokes the dog – who now looks way more lively and trusting – and gives him a few scratches behind his ears, “Now, go get that bathtub. We still have to bring him to the vet and I don’t want to pay extra for grooming.”</p>
<p>He sighs because well – even if he said something akin to <em>its either dog or me </em>Jaskier would pack Geralt’s things himself and keep the dog. And he is a keeper at the zoo, damn it, he is not heartless.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Their first visit to the vet costs them a small fortune, but they find out that the dog is healthy enough (they still have to wait for blood results to find out if he has any serious internal problems), around two or three years old and not chipped. Race unknown, but most likely some poorly breed border collie. He is starved but otherwise not physically damaged – nothing a few weeks of good food and warm bed won’t heal. He also doesn’t appear to have any serious behavioural problems besides general distrust and obvious dislike to Geralt and baths.</p>
<p>After their visit, they set another date for castration, pack the dog to the car and go to local market to buy pet stuff.</p>
<p>-</p>
<p>And that’s how they got their first dog, whom Jaskier named <em>Geralt Junior</em> and explained that he got the idea just after he saw <em>Junior</em> – he just looked like a pet version of Geralt and Geralt never wanted to punch Jaskier more than at the moment he revealed the nickname.</p>
<p>
  <em>-</em>
</p>
<p>Junior settles in easily. Besides normal dog things he keeps sneaking into their bed – and to Geralt’s chagrin, Jaskier not only allows him to do that but even encourages. He also, for some weird reason, really likes licking feet or hands – or whatever limb sticks out from under the covers – when they are sleeping.</p>
<p>Ciri likes him at first sight – obviously – and Yennefer remains unimpressed if not a little amused.</p>
<p>-</p>
<p>They get – or rather, Jaskier brings – another animal three months after Junior. It’s another dog, an elderly mongrel brought from local shelter.</p>
<p>Jaskier explained that he visited it with his students because the school he teaches at wants their pupils to do at least on volunteer <em>thingy</em> and they choose to help at the shelter. He saw the dog (later named Bobby) and asked about it and <em>the lady said he had been here for a good few years and they think he will most likely not find a forever home and will pass the rainbow bridge alone in the shelter and Geralt how could I just leave him out there– </em></p>
<p>Geralt silently agrees to Jaskier’s words because hell, elderly animals feel too and they deserve to have a proper end surrounding by ones they love and– <em>well</em>.</p>
<p>(Geralt witnessed a lot of animal death, it’s completely natural and normal and he tries to remain calm and collected every time it happens. Once, he was a witness to an old chimpanzee’s death, who shortly before dying was visited by her first caretaker. Her joy when she saw the man was so innocent, so pure that even Geralt shed a tear and the image of her happiness at that moment stayed with him for the rest of his life.)</p>
<p>He likes Bobby more than he likes Junior, because for one thing this buddy doesn’t lick his calves in the middle of the night.</p>
<p>-</p>
<p>They almost get their third animal – a black slash brown female cat that Jaskier found in a box at the gas station whom they named Phryne.</p>
<p><em>Almost</em>, because the lovely lady doesn’t accept other animals and every time they try to socialize her with Bobby and Junior she gets really stressed – once she ran away and peed herself from fear and Geralt wonders what kind of monster had Phryne before she managed to run away.</p>
<p>They try with pet behaviourist, but she just won’t accept other animals and with heavy heart they have to give her over to someone – and for some reason, Jaskier chooses his ex-wife.</p>
<p>Yennefer says no, obviously, but Jaskier pesters her for a good week before she finally gives in and agrees to take the cat. Phryne takes to Yennefer and Ciri’s house instantly (most likely because it doesn’t stink of dogs or zoo animals), becomes a lap cat and finds her favourite place to sleep on the windowsill of Yennefer’s study room.</p>
<p>                                                                                                    -                           </p>
<p>Their fourth animal – a rather fat, red cat named by Ciri Bert – invites himself over to their house and just stays there. He terrorizes both the dogs and them, sleeping all day and keeping everyone awake during the night with his awful meowing.</p>
<p>Once, they were having sex, because it’s been a good week and half since they last did it and they both liked having sex and were quite good at it <em>so</em>. Life been busy – with the end of semester coming at Jaskier’s school and a birth of a rhino cub at Geralt’s zoo there wasn’t any time for some and that’s that.</p>
<p>Geralt has Jaskier flat on his back, legs secured around his waist, looking already debauched from his first orgasm and close to another one. Geralt is also close, so close he knows just a few thrusts and they both will come and then go to sleep and they both don’t have to go to work tomorrow–</p>
<p>And before all that, that red cunt of a cat starts scratching at their bedroom door and meowing loudly just because he can and he<em> will.</em> Geralt stops his thrusting and Jaskier whines, looking at him with annoyed expression before noticing why exactly he stopped.</p>
<p>“C’mon,” Jaskier digs a heel into the small of Geralt’s back, “It’s just a cat – don’t you dare stop now.”</p>
<p>He doesn’t, just sadly brings Jaskier off and then Jaskier equally sadly blows him and they both go to sleep unsatisfied, annoyed and still listening to Bert’s whining – now accompanied by annoyed growls from Junior and Bobby.</p>
<p>They later learn to keep him closed during the night. In the garage, of all rooms, mostly because it’s warm and comfortable enough and far, far away from the bedroom.</p>
<p>-</p>
<p>Their fifth animal is another dog – a female, well-breed, unchipped golden retriever puppy, which Geralt suspects was a gift to some annoying brat who got bored quickly enough – found by Jaskier under a random car on a parking lot. They name her Sandy – and Sandy, well Sandy is a lovely dog.</p>
<p>The loveliest of their merry band. Kind, clever, quiet – doesn’t lick feet, doesn’t give concerts during the night and sticks to her own bed and food bowl. She is such a good girl that Geralt wholeheartedly allows her to sleep in their bed – an offer which she often accepts, snuggling between their legs and keeping them warm.</p>
<p>If Geralt sneaks her some food under the table it’s none of anyone’s business. Sandy is his favourite.</p>
<p>-</p>
<p>Their almost last animal is, of all things, a snake named Carver.</p>
<p>Jaskier got it from some co-worker of his because she was moving houses and <em>couldn’t keep the dude and well yeah Geralt look at him he is so cool and he comes with full equipment and otherwise she would return him to the shop or something so I had to take him– </em></p>
<p>Somewhere after Phryne Geralt stopped listening to Jaskier explanations. Anyways, they have three dogs, a cat and a snake now.</p>
<p>-</p>
<p>The last animal (so far, because Geralt suspects it won’t end here) Jaskier brings home is another cat. Well, a kitten – tiny little thing that has to be feed on special milk with a bottle. Geralt does it, mostly, since he already has an experience and is used to fucked up sleep schedules.</p>
<p>It’s a female kitten, and Jaskier found her in a plastic bag hung on a fence. When he brings her over, bundled close to his chest meowing her little heart out Geralt almost breaks down because well, it’s <em>unfair.</em></p>
<p>Ciri names her Josie, because she apparently looks like her name should be Josie. They patiently wean her off and after a few weeks she is starting to finally behave like a proper and healthy kitten. Everyone takes a liking to her. Both Bobby and Junior treat her with utmost respect and allow her to play with their ears or tails. Sandy treats her like an adopted daughter, licking her and warming up when needed. Even Bert keeps a protective paw over her.</p>
<p>Geralt suspects even Phryne would like her, but better not to taste their luck in that deparment.</p>
<p>-</p>
<p>Geralt would never, ever – absolutely never – admit it, but his favourite thing in the world is when they are all settled on the coach together. With Ciri settled between them, Josie on her lap and Junior at her feet. With Sandy perched next to Geralt and Bert lounging on Jaskier’s shoulder. And even Bobby settled on Yennefer’s lap because Jaskier always tell her to stay a little after she drops Ciri off for the weekend.</p>
<p>Even if Carver fucked off to somewhere in his terrarium and Phryne is over at another house, it’s nice and peaceful and familiar and well yeah, Geralt especially cherishes those times.</p>
<p>(And if Geralt’s phone wallpaper is a picture of Jaskier and Ciri huddled on the couch with all of the animals it’s none of anyone’s business but his.)</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>thanks for reading!! kudos and comments are always appreciated!!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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